This preliminary study investigates what role early trauma might have in alexithymia acquisition for adults by controlling for male circumcision. Three hundred self-selected men were administered the Toronto Twenty-Item Alexithymia Scale checklist and a personal history questionnaire. The circumcised men had age-adjusted alexithymia scores 19.9 percent higher than the intact men; were 1.57 times more likely to have high alexithymia scores; were 2.30 times less likely to have low alexithymia scores; had higher prevalence of two of the three alex-ithymia factors (difficulty identifying feelings and difficulty describing feelings); and were 4.53 times more likely to use an erectile dysfunction drug. Alexithymia in this population of adult men is statistically significant for having experienced circumcision trauma and for erectile dysfunction drug use.

“The debate on circumcision of boys will never be silenced, and it is now clear that in this debate, religious groups are not untouched. Among religious leaders, there is therefore the challenge, on pain of alienation from their own supporters, to take the time to look into a transition to alternative initiation rites with no irreversible adverse consequences for the child.

The government, the parliament and human rights organizations like the Children’s Ombudsman, Pharos, Forum, the Johannes Wier Foundation and Amnesty International, have the responsibility to speak out against circumcision of boys as a violation of children’s rights. Such statements of authoritative bodies may release a discussion within religious communities and to doubting parents an important support and backing.

The KNMG calls upon all these parties to assume their responsibilities in the effort to say goodbye to a painful and harmful ritual.”